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I have been thinking about this for the last few months and I read on these forums how there isn't enough being done to end stigma, or that there isn't enough money to go around...yet every year on one day we talk about things like this. Then we sit and fuss about it the remaining 364 days...

I propose a challenge to each and every person on this forum, both positive and not: Tell at least one person a week about HIV...you don't have to disclose your status if you don't want to...but if each one of us, and there are at last count: 6572 members on this board, tells one person a week, think about the impact that could make! Think about the affect you, one person could make in your community...

I am tired of whispering about HIV...you know, I did a play called "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and I played Eugene. In the play Eugene talks directly to the audience about how adults used to talk about diseases, mainly cancer. He said: "Aunt Blanche's husband died from (whisper) cancer. I think that they are afraid if you said it out loud that God would hear you and he would say: "I heard that, you said the dreaded disease, just for that, I smite you down with it." And now that my aunt and her daughter's moved in with us, my dad will die from (whisper) high blood pressure!"

Though the line itself is funny, there is a lot of truth behind it.

We want to be respected, listened to, we want to erase stigma...the only way we can do that, is be an activist in our own back yards. I read in this particular forum about activism, yet we attempt to bite off more than sometimes we can chew...but if we each do our own part to engage one person a week, and we ask that one person to tell one person...I know this sounds like an ad for Amway, but word of mouth really works. Grassroots is where it starts and we need to take message to our neighbors and our friends.

So, if we are serious about activism, lets be serious and true to ourselves, and most importantly be true to our communities...get out there, take up my challenge and let us stop stigma where it starts...at home.

"I'm not keen on the idea of the afterlife - not without knowing who else will be there and what the entertainment will be. Personally I'd rather just take a rest." Oscar Berger, PWA: Looking AIDS in the Face, 1996. RIP.

I would like to add a suggestion for all US members of the site. Take the first or second week of the 52 you're proposing, and participate in the HIV Travel ban thread to send a letter to legislators. Gerry set up an easy to use template that automatically sends the letter and your optional additional comments to your senators and congressional reps based on zipcode.

It may be important to many members here to understand that participating does not out you or your status, it passes on your opinion to your representatives that the ban must be lifted and Barbara Lee's legislation implemented.

If passed, it should have a direct favorable impact on stigmatization related to the virus. So, it's important because of the benefits to be realized in the our personal lives, the US and worldwide.

I have been thinking about this for the last few months and I read on these forums how there isn't enough being done to end stigma

Hi Jeromy

I have always been open about my status by talking to Med students/college students and nursing staff in my area..mainly about living with HIV and stigma.

I'm about to do this again on a much grander scale, along with 3 other Ladies from the North Island of NZ (I'm the only one from the South Island).

On the 20th of February we will be launching a "De-stigmatisation Campaign" in Auckland..We had the photo shoot on the 8th of Dec and the posters/leaflets and brochures are now all ready to go, our faces will be on posters on the backs of public transport in every major city, and the leaflets/brochure's will be in all the major hospitals and clinic throughout New Zealand in the hope that we will finally be able to get the message across.

This has never been done before in NZ so we are all very excited and pleased about the publicity we have had so far, the media will be present on the 20th to do interviews, and we have been booked to do interviews with two NZ woman magazines..and thanks to the generosity of one of the local TV stations we have been given some free air time to do a small documentary about stigma, and we are hoping this will be picked up by a few more nation wide stations.

I hope when it's all over I will be able to share a few links about the campaign with you all.

I have always been open about my status by talking to Med students/college students and nursing staff in my area..mainly about living with HIV and stigma.

I'm about to do this again on a much grander scale, along with 3 other Ladies from the North Island of NZ (I'm the only one from the South Island).

On the 20th of February we will be launching a "De-stigmatisation Campaign" in Auckland..We had the photo shoot on the 8th of Dec and the posters/leaflets and brochures are now all ready to go, our faces will be on posters on the backs of public transport in every major city, and the leaflets/brochure's will be in all the major hospitals and clinic throughout New Zealand in the hope that we will finally be able to get the message across.

This has never been done before in NZ so we are all very excited and pleased about the publicity we have had so far, the media will be present on the 20th to do interviews, and we have been booked to do interviews with two NZ woman magazines..and thanks to the generosity of one of the local TV stations we have been given some free air time to do a small documentary about stigma, and we are hoping this will be picked up by a few more nation wide stations.

I hope when it's all over I will be able to share a few links about the campaign with you all.

HugsJan

Jan, that is AWESOME!! I can't wait to hear all about it. Jan you inspire me!

Here in Hoosierville, we used to talk to students at Notre Dame, Purdue, Indiana University etc. Don't know what happened. The demand has not been good at all lately. It seems like people are tired of hearing about it. I'm really not sure what to do to get it started again. I've always been open about my status as well.

Logged

I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

If you are up to doing something on your own, then maybe you could call a few schools and talk to the head principle and let them know you are willing to talk to the students about living with HIV.

Is there a training hospital near you?..you could call the director of nursing to see if they would like you to talk to their Med students..if not then ask your ID doctor about giving talks to the nursing staff at your local hospital, this is how I got started, once people know you are willing to do this it's surprising how word gets around.